


Breaking the Code

by Rabbit (Majorminor2242)



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Cute Toothless (How to Train Your Dragon), Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Toothless Friendship, How to Train Your Dragon is a Game, Smart Toothless (How to Train Your Dragon), The Code is Alive, Virtual Reality, or is it...?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-25 01:33:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22087864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Majorminor2242/pseuds/Rabbit
Summary: Hunter had never been much of an outgoing person. No friends, a half-broken family but an interest in gaming usually leads to a more... introverted lifestyle.Unexpectedly, he finds himself in the ownership of a prototype, full-dive virtual reality rig, the only one made in the world, after winning an impossible draw out of millions of contestants.Not everything is as it seems however, when Hunter boots up the first game, only to find himself shocked at the realism of it all...And terrified of the consequences of the strangely sentient non-player characters finding out the truth of their reality...
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Toothless
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	1. Project: Avatar

RSPN Modular X-BIOS v1.745  
***ARES CLASS VI PROTOTYPE DEVICE DETECTED***  
  
WP97-NT7-X

  
Initialising CosEx-Launch...............  
  
Decoding AVATAR Proportions.....  
  
170.1cm  
56kg  
  
ERROR: Missing external limb: left leg-  
  
Calibrating. Restructuring code. Altering Necessary Aspects.  
... Adjustments Complete.  
  
  
Processing. Processing. Assessment:  
Skinny, tall  
  
RSPN Adaptive Bootloader v1.55  
Verifying Consistency...............  
Done.  
  
exec regen_respawn_v2.cfg -loopback255 -verbose  
  
Exeing config: regen_respawn_v2.cfg  
  
Hunk_OnRegenStart: 155146160  
Validating Operator Credentials...  
  
Name: 'Hunter -Hiccup- Haddock III'  
Age: 15  
Birthdate: February, 29th, 2003  
Gender: Male  
  
Rescind Code ARES-081699 accepted.  
  
Backing up to /ext/xsdcard/1.00  
Backing up /core/memory/viking_factions.......  
Backing up /core/mem/dragon_classifications......  
Backing up /core/mem/magic_subroutes&progression_system.......  
Backing up /core/mem/quest_algorithm...................  
Backing up /core/mem/world_resource_layout..............................  
Backing up /core/puchase_auth/*.............  
Wrote 56 chunks in 12 blocks.  
Generating md9sum......  
  
Flashing BIOS version 2.0............  
Done.  
  
cl_reboot -soft -restore -remote  
  
mnt /ext/xsdcard/1.00  
Restore: writing blocks.........  
Verify md9sum......  
Verified. Regen complete in 0m 16s

  
...Complete.  
Restructuring AVATAR. Complete in 0m 9s

  
...Complete.  
  
  
Reinitialising software, please wait...  
  
  
  
*****All functions are ready. Initialising Startup.***  
  
  
_Good luck, Hunter._**


	2. Welcome to your surrogate life

Hunter released a strained yawn, opening his eyes and blinking at the bright morning sun. The air was nipping his cheeks, and if it weren't for the thick, warm furs cocooning him, he was sure he'd be shivering.

Pulling himself up, he gradually adjusted to his surroundings in suspended awe.

"Oh, wow... This looks incredible..." his gaze roamed the room he was in, passing the splintery wooden rafters, the log walls, the cluttered dresser across from him, and finally the window on the wall to his right, currently cracked open and filtering in radiant sunlight as though it were holy.

Everything about it all seemed so... picturesque. So perfect. So...

 _Realistic_.

Getting out of bed, he planted his only (right) foot on the floor, but almost recoiled at the ticklish furs laid beside the bed. The feeling sent strangely normal tingles through him, and it took him a few moments to calm his surprise.

"How... how can I _feel_ that... This is all too unreal!" he chalked it up to the fact that he wasn't currently using a normal VR headset. No, Hunter had somehow, against all odds, won a prototype, full-dive VR rig. What made it so incredibly advanced was the fact that unlike usual virtual reality, this latest technology connected the frequency of your brain waves and generated the game in your unconscious mind.

That meant that flexing any muscle in your body, or smelling any scent was intercepted, processed, and created virtually -as long as it was coded into the game's parameters-, and all the while back in the real world, Hunter was currently fast asleep and unmoving.

A sudden knock from his left brought him from his thoughts and revealed a wooden door that he hadn't noticed yet. A voice then followed, however the door did not open. "Hiccup! You better be up in the next minute and downstairs for breakfast son, because if I have to call you again, there'll be retribution!" The voice thundered intimidatingly, even through the door, and Hunter had the intelligence to realise that pushing whoever this person was would be a _very_ bad idea if they followed through with their threats.

Immediately, he jolted up from his sitting position, only to fall to the ground with a loud *THUD* as he realised he was still missing his left leg from the knee down.

'That's disappointing... Guess it's just a drawback to having the VR be in your own head; a limitation to what your brain can actually sense and send impulses to. Since I don't have that limb in real life, I can only really imagine it, but never truly sense it. Guess I'll just have to improvise...' Looking around, he found just what he was looking for in the form of a spring-loaded, wooden peg-leg which was rested against his bed-dresser.

"Huh. _That's convenient._ Did the game _know_ I would need it?" he pondered.

Forgoing his confusion, he quickly found each buckle, and crudely attached the medieval prosthetic. It was nothing in comparison to what was possible in the modernised world, however Hunter had never had the money to afford the best of the best, so it wasn't _too_ much worse than what he was used to.

Wobbling a little when he stood up due to the spring bouncing under his balanced weight, he started to panic as he realised that he had already wasted a good chunk of time on just standing up. Rapidly, he scoured the room for any appropriate clothes to change into. He then noticed there was a wardrobe beside his bed, which he had originally thought was part of the wall. Rushing over with a small limp, the door flung open to reveal several sets of clothes. There were two pairs of brown, scratchy, linen trousers, along with several tunics, two of which were green, and another which was black. Deciding to just go with what seemed like should be his 'preference', he donned a green tunic, and finally saw a sleeveless, fur jacket hanging off a peg on the open door.

Once everything had replaced his simple nightwear, he made his way back over to the bed, where he had previously noticed his solo fur boot, and slipped it on.

The sound of the stairs creaking outside informed him of limited time, and so with a burst of energy, he sprinted towards the bedroom door and practically barrelled past and into the enormous mass of someone behind it as it opened milliseconds prior.

"Urgh... What the..." he looked up, only to meet stern eyes that analysed him. They betrayed the tiniest hint of worry, however that was clearly being purposefully concealed by irritation.

"Hiccup?! Wha' in the name o' Odin were you doin'?! That racket shook half the house!"

"Uhh..... Sorry... _dad(?)_. Just tripped when I got up; forgot about the leg." he stumbled over referring to this man as his father, but simply played along and gestured to the prosthetic convincingly (since the story was actually true).

The mountainous man simply pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "Hhhhh... Well, alright. You're lucky you got outta that room before I got in otherwise I wouldn't be letting this go so easily. This is the last time you sleep in though, ya hear me?"

"Yes, yep, sorry. Won't happen again."

"Aye, better not. Anyway, breakfast's ready on the table, I'm off for the day dealing with the last of the repairs needed from tha' last dragon raid, and then I got a meetin' at the town hall." he turned and began to thump down the stairs again. It looked like the man was actually taking care to be as quiet as possible, yet it proved pointless as the entire house shook on the spot each step.

"Oh, and Hiccup, one last thing I almost forgot; Gobber said ya skipped out on him again during last night's raid, so you've earn't y'urself double time today. He wants you down at the forge as soon as you've eaten." and with that, everything was finally silent in the house.

"Right... guess I should start with food as he said. _Wait..._ do I even need to eat seeing as this is all a game? Uhh... well, I guess I'll just test it out by not eating, and see if I actually end up feeling hungry or suffering any drawbacks from it later, then I'll know." he muttered to himself.

"Also, _Hiccup_? Is my name here seriously gonna be _Hiccup_?! That's the same nickname I've been called since I was like five starting from bullies and passing on to even my own parents when I messed up. Why can't I just be called _Hunter?_ My own, not so embarrassing, pretty cool name instead? Why is it so much to ask, that instead the game coincidentally and ironically has a lead protagonist named my own derogative nickname? I mean I can't even tell if this was done on purpose!" he sighed in exasperation.

"Whatever. Guess I should just leave for the forge then for whatever that job of mine is." he reached for the handle of the front door downstairs, still feeling surprised at the cool touch of the metal handle on his skin.

* * *

Escaping the house, the first thing Hunter decided to do was survey his surroundings. His house sat on the top of a hill, overlooking a village rolling with houses and structures. It seemed that his 'family name' must have some importance in hierarchy or something for it to stand so tall and proud, and it would make sense aligning with how his 'father' had spoken of his duties overlooking the village repairs.

Trekking down the path, he found himself led into the centre of the village square, where a sole statue stood, surrounded by what appeared to be the local shops and service suppliers. As he continued down the road, he crossed a tannery, a carpentry, a clothes shop of sorts, and finally, at the end of the road and overlooking a sheer cliff face leading to a ferocious sea of water, the blacksmith forgery.

From outside, he could already hear the expressive cusses of a man within, who seemed to have hurt himself. Badly.

Walking around to the front, he peeked into the doorway cautiously, a little nervous. "Gobber?"

The man twisted to him, caught in the act of sucking his entire fist -don't ask how he fit it all in his mouth. "GAha! Hiccup! Nice of y'u to finally grace me wit' y'ur mighty presence! I was wonderin' when you'd get outta bed! It's already nearly noon!" he pretended to not have just been caught sucking his hand, and casually leant on the hammer-prosthetic on his left hand. Scanning him, he had a dirty, straw-blond handlebar moustache, reaching down his chest like a noodle from his nose. A small helmet with long horns adorned what appeared to be a bald head, and he had almost an exact replica of stocky frame as his father. The man also had a highly noticeable underbite in his jaw, as well as a large stone tooth protruding from his bottom lip.

Finally, Hunter's eyes were drawn towards the other prosthetic, a basic peg-leg -even simpler than his own, as it was just a sawed down rod of wood without even a spring to absorb pressure/impacts.

"Well, are ya jus' gonna stand there staring at me like I'm Odin's ghost, or are ya goin'ta get to work?! Thos swords in the back need some serious re-shaping, the axes resharpening and also I think there were one or two requests for replacement hammer-heads. Think you can manage all'a tha' ?"

All he could do was nod dumbly, when suddenly within his vision, a golden-trimmed, black box appeared, much like a game's interface screen.

**Task: Complete weapon maintenance.  
** **  
****Rewards: +1 STR, +1 END  
  
ACCEPT/decline**

Slowly, Hiccup pressed his finger up to 'ACCEPT', surprised to feel the button was solid. A sudden bell tolled in his ears, and he was notified of the 'progression' of his current task at the very top left of his vision in barely noticeable black and gold print.

  
**Progress: 0%**

**> Hammer swords back into shape.  
>Sharpen axes.   
>Replace worn-out hammer heads.**

  
He then made his way over towards the weapons at the back of the cluttered room, ignoring the strange look he was receiving from Gobber from his strange actions. Eventually, the man simply sighed, muttering something about 'Hiccup being Hiccup again.' which he took minor offence too.

Picking up a sword, he strained under the weight for a moment, having to lean back as to not topple forward. 'Woa-oah! These swords are heavier than I expected!'

Placing it on the anvil nearby, he though about how he'd do this. Hunter had never had to work with metal before like this, but he at least knew it needed heating up a ton to get soft enough to reshape...?

'If only there was some kind of tutorial to help me settle in with this stuff...' he jolted a little when another interface opened up in front of him, this time displaying a question.

**Would you like help?**

He blinked. 'Is it really that simple... just ask for help? Well... alright, yeah some help would be real nice.' He didn't even have to click anything when several steps appeared just below the original objective.

**> Hammer swords back into shape.  
**  
**-Heat up metal until glowing yellow (glowing red is not enough, glowing white is too much)**  
 **-Hammer metal on anvil with a steady, strong pace. Keep hitting to stop metal from cooling down as quickly and keep the strikes flat.**

**Progress: 0%**

  
'Huh... that's not as hard as I thought it'd be... cool.' Hunter immediately set out to do just as the steps instructed. It took a little longer than it should have for an 'experienced apprentice that's been working here since he was a wee child' according to Gobber, but Hunter was actually quite proud for what was his first ever attempt. He was definitely glad to have the extra steps displayed, otherwise he wasn't sure if he would have managed entirely alone.

It was incredibly hard work, however, since much to his surprise, he was feeling _exhausted._ Even reaching the point of near-collapse by the end.

His stomach rumbled, and he groaned, tilting over slightly to hold it. "Uughhh' It actually slightly worried him how real the desperate craving for sustenance and rest was. Luckily, that problem seemed to be quickly relievable when Gobber piped up behind him.

"Caw, that was a right ole' dragon roar in that gut laddie! Ain't you 'ad anything to eat today?" Hunter merely shook his head sheepishly. "Wha- Well why the tornado not boy? Are ya insane?! I shouldn't'a given you all that work knowing y'u're runnin' on fumes." he shook his head. "Right, well, I guess I might as well close up shop for me' own lunch break then and we'll both grab some grub down at the Meade Hall, alright?"

"Uhm, sure. That sounds good. I'll just... uh... wait outside for you to close up then..." He mumbled, trying to look as casual of a viking teen as he possibly could. Hunter was pretty unsure of how an average viking would act, but it had to be brash and abrasive, right?

If that's the case, then he may well be screwed, since Hunter had always been a bit more of a polite, sensible and intuitive individual than a problem-child with half a brain.

Scratch that, he was probably the most _problematic child on the planet,_ but at least he still wasn't stupid.

Most of the time. _Usually_.


End file.
